Burial apparatus.



H. J. CULP.

BUBIAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATIQN FILED DEC, 23, 1912.

1,065,030. Patented June 17,1913.

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BURIAL APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED D30. 29. 1912.

1,065,030,, Patented June 17, 1913.

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HENRY J. GULF, OF GOSHEN, INDIANA.

BURIAL APPARATUS.

Application filed December 28, 1912.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, HENRY J. CULP, a citizen of the United States, resident of Goshen, in the county of Elkhart and State of Indiana, have made a certain new and useful Invention in Burial Apparatus; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, partly broken away, and partly in section on the line 22 Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail section 011 the line 4 4, Fig. 5. Fig. 5 is a detail section on the line 55, Fig. 4.

The invention has relation to apparatus for use in burying the dead, and it consists in the novel construction and combinations of parts, as hereinafter set forth.

The object of the invention is to provide means, of seemly appearance and serviceable character, whereby the body can be buried in a simple and durable case, forming an interior removable receiver or coffin, which is carried in an exterior covering of casket shape, having an open bottom, and serving important purposes in the funeral ceremonies, the transportation of the cofiin and the deposition of the latter in the grave.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrating the invention, a grave is indicated in section at 2, and the numeral 3 represents boards laid across the upper portion of the same.

An outer open-bottom casket-form or covering case is indicated at 4, said casket having at each side a roller 5, the journals of which have bearings in the 'casket frame at 6. Around these rollers are wound straps or webbing 7, each strap or length of webbing being secured by one end to its roller and having at its free or depending end a strong hook or ring 8.

9 designates the interior removable coliin or shell in which the remains are placed for burial. This shell or case is designed to be made of sheet metal in rounded or cylin- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 17 1913.

Serial No. 739,075.

drical form, and of proper size to suit the interior of the casket. The coflin or shell is provided at its sides with hooks or catches 10, for engagement with the rings of the roller tapes, whereby it is held in suspension within the chamber of the outer casket, the rollers being prevented from turning by stop devices controlling the movement of sprockets 1.1 and sprocket chains 12, which govern the rotation of the rollers.

The lid of the outer casket or incasement is indicated at 14c, and below this, within the casket, is the lid 15 of the inner burial shell, which is designed to be removable through the open top of the casket.

The side walls of the outer case or casket are made hollow or recessed, as indicated at 16, to receive the pivoted legs 17 of folding truck frames. These legs are provided with casters on their lower ends and their extensions 18, above their pivots 10, may be connected on each side by means of connecting bars 20, which are pivoted to the upper ends of the extensions. Spring catches are provided in connection with the casket wall, to engage the bars 20 to hold the legs in upright position to sustain the casket and facilitate its movement, and also to hold the legs in folded position within the casket wall.

The middle sprocket wheel having its journal bearings in the end wall of the casket is provided with an outer extension of its journal which is formed with a prismatic seat at its end for the reception of an operating crank. At the side of this drive sprocket is an idler 21, under which the chain passes, this idler wheel serving to insure the engagement of the chain with the drive sprocket as well as the roller sprockets. One or more guide rollers 22 should be provided, over which the straps pass inside the casket wall, this arrangement facilitating a compact as well as ornamental construction of the casket, as the rollers can in this way be seated in lateral recesses 22 along the upper portions of the sides, these upper portions projecting externally as convex sheet metal moldings 23 of cylindrical or other ornamental form.

The outer case or casket is necessarily to to be made very strong, and its movable parts are to be carefully secured, so that they will remain in operative condition, not liable to casual disarrangement. This outer case is substantially a rectangular frame 4, open at bot-tom and top and having a removable lid. The boards forming the sides and ends should be strongly secured to inside corner posts, and ornamental panels may be attached to the sides and ends. The upper boards of the ends have rounded ends extending outward beyond the exterior side walls, and are provided with bearings for the journals of the rollers. On the sides of the case these rounded ends are connected by sheet steel moldings 23, of more or less ornamental character, covering the recesses in which the rollers are located. So also, the corners of the casket are designed to be covered in by sheet metal column forms, as indicated. And the lower portions of the walls of this casket may also be provided with ornamental moldings. Above the upper sheet steel moldings 23, are secured longitudinal wooden bars or moldings 25, having ledge projections 26, to form a rest or hearing for the edge of the lid. Metallic plates 27 are secured at each end of the casket, to the framing, and these plates are provided with devices for the bearings of the sprocket wheels.

The journals and bearings and other movable parts of the construction are necessarily to be made in such a manner as to obviate noise in movement, and it is designed to accomplish this, so far as possible, by means of proper oiling and washers of leather or other suitable material. So also the main or driving sprocket is designed to have efficient control, through friction appliances, of the rollers and the weight depending from the strap connections thereto. To this end the short bolt bearing 30 is provided with a flange head 31, engaging one side of the plate 27, and a block 32, engaging the other side of said plate, which is secured to the flange and block by means of screw bolts, so that this hearing is fixed. The central or drive sprocket wheel 11, on the bearing 30, next a leather washer 33, is secured to a round plate 34, having a hub 35, the end of which is of hexagonal or wrench-seat form. Next to the plate 34:, a leather washer is placed on its hub, and next to this leather washer is a friction plate 36, having a hub 37, the end of which is designed to be outside the casket molding. A bur 38 is provided, which is hexagonal inside and outside, and is designed to fit the hexagonal end of the hub 35. A crank wrench applied to this bur 38, will turn the hub 35 and the drive sprocket wheel. A round washer 39, having a hexagonal inside wall fits a hexagonal portion of the bolt bearing, the end of which is threaded to engage a nut 40. When the nut 40 is turned, the plate 36 will be caused to press the leather washer next it eration of the plate 34 and the sprocket, sliding on the bolt 30, the leather Washer next to the sprocket will be pressed against the block 32. In this manner it is designed, by tightening the bur 33 more or less, to hold the drive sprocket motionless, or to regulate it to move more or less slowly.

The invention is designed to provide comparatively inexpensive means for carrying out funeral ceremonies, with regard to the disposition, transportation and burial of the remains, in a quiet and reverential manner, with the observances of form and respect which are appropriate. The exterior casket may be of more or less ornate and expensive character, and it is designed to be employed in other funerals. It is provided with caster supports, to obviate lifting so far as possible; such supports being capable of being folded out of sight when so desired.

The employment of an outer lid for the casket and an inner cover for the burial case is not inappropriate. And when the outer lid is closed down and the casket legs folded, the casket is in form for being placed in the hearse, and should have the usual handles on the sides to facilitate this operation.

At the grave the casket is lowered to rest on the boards placed lengthwise over the grave in the marginal portion thereof. In the burial, the drive sprocket is turned to operate the lateral rollers in such Wise that the inner or burial case will be lowered to position in the grave. The lateral hooks and rings being disengaged, the straps are wound upon the rollers, and the outer case or casket is then removed. The inner case may be covered in the usual way, but the case being of cylindrical form and of metal, is designed to be incased in cement, which is readily applied to the grave around it and covering it in, so that the remains will be permanently protected.

Having described the invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1s:

1. A double casket comprising an exterior transportation case having an open bottom and removable lid, an inner burial case also having a lid, lateral rollers journaled in the exterior case, flexible means for detachably connecting the exterior case and the burial case, and means for operating the rollers.

2. An outer transportation casket having an open bottom, upper and lower lateral recesses, a removable lid, rollers in the upper recesses, winding straps on said rollers, folding caster legs in the lower recesses, and

against the plate 3st. And through the opfor said drive sprocket, and sprocket chains HENRY J. CULP.

connecting the roller sprockets and the drive sprocket.

4. An outer casket having an open bottom and removable lid, an inner burial case having a removable lid, revoluble devices in connection with the outer casket, detachable connections for the revoluble devices and the inner burial case, operating means for the Witnesses:

ORVILLE L. SIMMoNs, EUGENE O. DAVIS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

